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Festive and easy, these Halloween Cookies are an absolute must-make for your friends and family for a spooky movie night at home or for the Halloween block party!
No tricks here, just a delicious treat! These cookies are filled with orange, purple, white, and green M&Ms (the seasonal “Ghoul Mix” M&M bags) for the most adorable Halloween cookies. We even added edible googly eyes to some of the cookies to create perfect monster cookies! How cute are they?!
They’re so easy to make, too. No crazy decorating with royal icing required! Plus, these are so fun to get the kids involved with baking up a spooky treat together.
If you make these for your Halloween party, you might want to make a double batch. They go fast! 😉
These are one of my favorite Halloween treats to make each year, and I hope you love this recipe as much as I do (and the guests who have enjoyed them off my dessert table too!).
How to Make Halloween Cookies
Ingredients for Easy Halloween Cookies:
- All-purpose flour – measured correctly! If you add too much flour, you may end up with tough cookies that don’t spread, or cookies that taste bland!
- Black Cocoa powder or Dutch-process cocoa powder – Black cocoa can be ordered online and will provide that festive deep dark color. It also makes the cookies taste more like Oreos! If you can’t find Black cocoa, feel free to use Dutch-process cocoa powder instead. Learn more about Dutch-process cocoa here.
- Baking soda & baking powder – check out my Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder article to learn about the surprising differences between these two leaveners!
- Cornstarch – to keep the consistency of these cookies soft and tender.
- Salt – enhances the flavor.
- Granulated sugar and light brown sugar – for sweetness, moisture, and flavor.
- Butter – always use unsalted butter in baking, at a cool room temperature (around 67°F is perfect).
- 1 egg – at room temperature.
- Vanilla extract – for flavor.
- White chocolate chips & Halloween-themed M&Ms – for flavor, and to bring a super fun Halloween-y flair to our cookies!
- Candy googly eyes – for so much additional fun!!
What type of Cocoa Powder to use for Double Chocolate Halloween Cookies?
I recommend using Black Cocoa for the best visual effect and for a tasty flavor (think Oreos – not super rich in chocolaty flavor, but a distinct flavor nonetheless). It can be difficult to source in stores but can be purchased easily online. Alternatively, you can also use Dutch-process cocoa. My favorite brands of Dutch-process cocoa powder are E. Guittard, Penzeys, Bensdorp, or Valrhona. Regardless of cocoa type, be sure to sift it to avoid clumps of cocoa in your cookies!
How to Make Double Chocolate Halloween Cookies:
- Cream the butter and sugars. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the vanilla and egg. Scrape the bowl down before adding in the vanilla extract and the room temperature egg, beating well to combine.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Sift together the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Gradually add in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until a slightly sticky dough forms.
- Add the chocolate. Fold in the white chocolate chips and M&Ms with a rubber spatula.
- Portion out the cookies and decorate. Using a large spring-loaded scoop, drop 3-tablespoon sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Dot the balls of cookie dough with extra chips, M&Ms, and candy eyeballs.
- Bake. At 350°F for about 12 minutes, until puffy but still soft, being careful not to overbake.
Allow to cool slightly on the baking tray. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Can I Change up the Mix-Ins?
Yes! You can absolutely switch out the white chocolate chips and Halloween-themed M&Ms for just about whatever you like! Just be sure to keep the total weight (or volume) the same as written in the recipe as well as using similarly sized mix-ins so the cookie dough balls stay together. Here are some Halloween cookie mix-in ideas:
- Dark chocolate chips
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Reese’s Pieces
- Well-chopped candy bars
Can I Make These into Halloween Cookie Bars?
Yes! These work beautifully as cookie bars. Here’s how:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a light-colored metal 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and use metal binder clips to secure in place. Make the recipe as instructed, then place the cookie dough in the prepared pan. Decorate the top with additional M&Ms, white chocolate chips, and candy eyeballs as desired. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges appear set but the center still jiggles slightly. Allow to cool before removing from the pan and slicing into 16 bars.
How to Store Double Chocolate Halloween Cookies:
These are best enjoyed when fresh, but they will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Be sure they are completely cooled before storing. See right below for my top cookie storage tips!
How to Keep Cookies Soft:
To keep your baked cookies soft, you can add an apple wedge, piece of bread, or a tortilla on the top and bottom of the cookies to the container a day or two after baking them, or whenever you find the texture beginning to harden. The moisture from the bread or apple will migrate to your cookies, making them soft and chewy again. A tortilla is a favorite of mine because it takes up much less room than a slice of bread and doesn’t transfer any flavors or aromas like an apple wedge can.
Alternatively, you can freeze the cookie dough so you can just bake off what you need, then store the rest in the freezer until you next crave fresh chocolaty cookies! Read more below!
Can you Freeze Double Chocolate Halloween Cookies?
I love the taste of cookies straight from the oven the best (who doesn’t!?). I always keep pre-scooped balls of various types of cookie dough in a resealable bag in my freezer, so I can bake cookies off and have them warm from the oven in a matter of minutes whenever I want! Here are more tips for freezing cookie dough, and baking from frozen!
More Halloween recipes:
-
1/2
cup
(113 grams) unsalted butter,
at cool room temperature
-
1/2
cup
(100 grams) granulated sugar
-
1/4
cup
(50 grams) brown sugar
-
1
teaspoon
vanilla extract
-
1
egg, at room temperature
-
1
cup
(127 grams) all-purpose flour
-
1/2
cup
(43 grams) Dutch-process or Black cocoa powder,
sifted
-
1
tablespoon
cornstarch
-
1
teaspoon
fine sea salt
-
1/2
teaspoon
baking soda
-
1/4
teaspoon
baking powder
-
1/2
cup
(85 grams) white chocolate chips,
plus more for garnish
-
1
cup
(218 grams) Halloween M&MS,
plus more for garnish
-
Edible candy eyeballs,
for garnish
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl down before adding in the vanilla extract and egg, beating well to combine.
-
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Gradually add in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until a slightly sticky dough forms. Fold in the white chocolate chips and M&Ms with a rubber spatula.
-
Using a large spring-loaded scoop, drop 3-tablespoon sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Dot the balls of cookie dough with extra chips, M&Ms, and candy eyeballs. Bake for about 12 minutes, until puffy but still soft, being careful not to overbake. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
To Bake as Cookie Bars:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a light-colored metal 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and use metal binder clips to secure in place. Make the recipe as instructed, then place the cookie dough in the prepared pan. Decorate the top with additional M&Ms, white chocolate chips, and candy eyeballs as desired. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges appear set but the center still jiggles slightly. Allow to cool before removing from the pan and slicing into 16 bars.
Photos by Joanie Simon.
Thank you so much for this lovely recipe! My sister and I baked these the day before Halloween this year and it turned out absolutely delicious! I gave some to my coworkers and they commented on how cute it looked and how it tasted! I will be baking these again next year 🙂
Made these for my husband for Halloween.They are a “keeper” he says. Made my grandkids giggle when I sent them a picture. I have had request already to make for Hallween next year.
I am usually hesitant to make cookies because I have to use gluten free flour, but these ones came out sooo amazing that I ended making three batches.
The only thing I subbed was the flour for Bob’s Red Mill blue bag.
One thing to keep in mind for baking I only use the metric system. So if you are a baker with celiac and using the blue bag, keep in mind that I weighted my ingredients rather than using cups. I personally think this has better outcomes.
Yummy, rich chocolatey goodness! The M&M’s & white chocolate chips just add to the fun & chocolate yummines of this cookie. Will definitely make again & again!
Fun cookies for Halloween!
So fast and yummy! These are quick to make and bake with no chill time needed. I used dark chocolate m&m’s and would definitely use these again. I love the salty note on this combo.
Super cute!! VERY chocolatey. Wouldn’t change a thing!!
These cookies are very easy to make. I used Hersheys Special Dark Cocoa. These rich and chewy Halloween cookies disappear very fast.
Terrific. They disappeared in a flash.
Delicious to eat, and deliciously fun to look at and share with everyone 🙂
Yummy chocolate cookies filled with white chocolate chips and M&M’s. I wish I had had more M&M’s to decorate with before going in the oven, but what I had worked perfectly. Definitely one we will make again next Halloween.
Delicious! Not just a chocolate cookie! And I loved adding in Halloween Colors in fun ways! I used white chips, butterscotch chips, and pepitas! Worked great!
Super fun to make! They are way too sweet for me to eat more than one, but I guess that makes them great for sharing at Halloween!
These are so decadent! I used to m&m peanut ghoul mix which made my cookies much bigger but they are so good! I sprinkled some sea salt flakes, I highly recommend it.
This recipe is such a hit! I made cookies first and then the second time around, I baked them into bars using melted butter instead of room temp. Great both ways!
Everyone should be excited for these Halloween cookies! Easy, delicious, and spooky! Oh and btw, you don’t need kids to enjoy these!
These cookies are really delicious, like brownie cookies. I loved them. This recipe is definitely a keeper because it would work with any number of add-in ingredients, not just M&Ms.
Made them for a Halloween party last weekend, they were a huge hit!
These were super thick and delicious! loved the white chocolates and halloween themed m&ms.
Brought these cookies to a neighborhood dinner and everyone loved them!!
These Double Chocolate Halloween Cookies were more treat than trick! So yummy! The cookie tasted like a delicious chocolatey brownie, and I love the texture and little crunch from the M & M’s! I made these for both my Halloween celebration and for the October baking challenge and I’ll definitely be making them again!
These Halloween cookies were so fun and easy to make. I had made some for family and friends and they loved it! The white chocolate chips add a nice balance to the black cocoa powder. Would make these again!
Fun cookie to make as a Halloween treat
Delicious! I doubled the batch for a Halloween party and used the full bag of m&ms.
Easy to follow recipe. Cookies are super rich and chocolatey!
Sooo darn good! I made these with peanut butter m&ms because we couldn’t find the ghoul m&m mix here in Canada. The peanut butter hits so well! Also reduced the salt to 3/4 tsp which was perfect. Thanks for another winning recipe Tessa!
so much fun to make and came out sooo good
These are very yummy and easy to make, i also made a batch gluten free for my daughter and she loved them as well
So easy and yummy! If I ever need a chocolate cookie base, I would definitely come to Tessa. And these are so cute! I did not have time to look for eyes but they are still pretty darn festive with M&Ms and white chocolate. I used dark chocolate M&Ms because I often find white chocolate too sweet, and the two definitely offset each other well. Would make again!
These double chocolate Halloween cookies are devilish. The recipe is very easy to follow and within minutes the dough is ready for baking. They are for sure a treat on Halloween!!!!!!
They are so cute and delicious. Making some for Halloween.
Black cocoa in this recipe is such a great add. The deep dark black cocoa makes these a true Halloween cookie. They are easy to make and taste great!
Easy to make and delicious. Can’t wait to share them with my coworkers tomorrow.
Ahhhhmazing recipe! Added mini marshmallows too! Yummm!
Kids loved making them and eating them.
These were good, but not my favorite. I think they are probably delicious to most people and my kids really liked them. I thunk I would have liked them more without the m&ms.